📕 16...Kf8!
After playing ...h6-h5, Black never intended to castle kingside, since his rook now belongs on the h-file. Here f8 is a safe haven for Black's king - in fact, far safer than castling.
16...Qb8 This move is playable but somewhat passive.
16...b6 weakening light squares on the queenside and depriving the black queen of the b6 square is not a good idea.
After playing ...h6-h5, Black never intended to castle kingside, since his rook now belongs on the h-file. Here f8 is a safe haven for Black's king - in fact, far safer than castling.
16...Qb8 This move is playable but somewhat passive.
16...b6 weakening light squares on the queenside and depriving the black queen of the b6 square is not a good idea.
📕Unity Chess Multiple Choice 121
B: a4 – 18
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 90%
A: h4 – 1
▫️ 5%
C: Bd2 – 1
▫️ 5%
👥 20 people voted so far.
B: a4 – 18
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 90%
A: h4 – 1
▫️ 5%
C: Bd2 – 1
▫️ 5%
👥 20 people voted so far.
📕Unity Chess Multiple Choice 122
B: g4 – 21
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 78%
C: Bc4 – 4
👍 15%
A: Qb1 – 2
👍 7%
👥 27 people voted so far.
B: g4 – 21
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 78%
C: Bc4 – 4
👍 15%
A: Qb1 – 2
👍 7%
👥 27 people voted so far.
📕 22.a4!
White solves the problem of his a2-backward pawn. It is easy to overlook a rare chance to convert a weak pawn to a strong one via tactical means because it looks so innocuous and helpless.
22.h4 The white tendency to attack the kingside is understandable but after 22...Rc8, The opportunity to do the a4-move is lost.
22.Bd2 will be faced with 22...Rc8 as well.
White solves the problem of his a2-backward pawn. It is easy to overlook a rare chance to convert a weak pawn to a strong one via tactical means because it looks so innocuous and helpless.
22.h4 The white tendency to attack the kingside is understandable but after 22...Rc8, The opportunity to do the a4-move is lost.
22.Bd2 will be faced with 22...Rc8 as well.
📕16.g4!!
If your thinking revolves around forking the knights with g4-g5, you are wrong! The deep strategic point of g2-g4 is to secure the f5-square and render the h6-knight helpless, as it cannot gain access to f7 either. Ivanchuk proceeded to bind the kingside pieces further.
16.Qb1? In this position attacking the e4 pawn is a wrong decision:16...Nf5! 17.Nxe4? Nxe4 18.Qxe4 d5-/+
16. Bc4 An obvious move with the idea of blocking d5 square. 16...Kh8(of course not 16...d5? 17.Nxd5! Nxd5 18.Bxh6 Bxh6 19.Bxd5) 17.Nd5 Nf5 with white's slight advantage.
If your thinking revolves around forking the knights with g4-g5, you are wrong! The deep strategic point of g2-g4 is to secure the f5-square and render the h6-knight helpless, as it cannot gain access to f7 either. Ivanchuk proceeded to bind the kingside pieces further.
16.Qb1? In this position attacking the e4 pawn is a wrong decision:16...Nf5! 17.Nxe4? Nxe4 18.Qxe4 d5-/+
16. Bc4 An obvious move with the idea of blocking d5 square. 16...Kh8(of course not 16...d5? 17.Nxd5! Nxd5 18.Bxh6 Bxh6 19.Bxd5) 17.Nd5 Nf5 with white's slight advantage.
📕Unity Chess Multiple Choice 123
A: b4 – 15
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 75%
B: d×e5 – 4
👍👍 20%
C: Ra7 – 1
▫️ 5%
👥 20 people voted so far.
A: b4 – 15
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 75%
B: d×e5 – 4
👍👍 20%
C: Ra7 – 1
▫️ 5%
👥 20 people voted so far.
📕Unity Chess Multiple Choice 124
B: Rb5 – 16
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 70%
C: b3 – 4
👍👍 17%
A: Nd7 – 3
👍 13%
👥 23 people voted so far.
B: Rb5 – 16
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 70%
C: b3 – 4
👍👍 17%
A: Nd7 – 3
👍 13%
👥 23 people voted so far.
17.b4!
One idea behind playing b4 is that moves like ...c5 can be met with bxc5, followed by d5, creating a passed d-pawn.
17.dxe5
We should keep tension in the center. Masters handle the pawn tension better than the amateurs, knowing how to keep the pawns on the board longer when to block them and at what moment to get rid of them. Releasing the tension too soon may create problems and here release black bishop on f8.
17.Ra7? Qb6=/+
One idea behind playing b4 is that moves like ...c5 can be met with bxc5, followed by d5, creating a passed d-pawn.
17.dxe5
We should keep tension in the center. Masters handle the pawn tension better than the amateurs, knowing how to keep the pawns on the board longer when to block them and at what moment to get rid of them. Releasing the tension too soon may create problems and here release black bishop on f8.
17.Ra7? Qb6=/+